Why are my ears ringing after a workout?

What is ear ringing (tinnitus)?

Tinnitus is a hearing problem that causes people to hear sounds that aren’t coming from their environment. Instead, sounds such as ringing, roaring, hissing or buzzing are merely perceived within the ear. For some, the problem is a temporary nuisance. For others, it can impair hearing and interfere with going about daily life.

Causes of tinnitus could be sudden or long-term exposure to loud noises, blood pressure changes, injuries, medication side-effects, wax buildup, or ear and sinus infections, to name a few. One lesser-known trigger for tinnitus can also be exercise.

Reasons your ears might be ringing after a workout

Blood Pressure — When you exercise, your blood pressure fluctuates. These changes can mean higher blood pressure than usual, which can lead to tinnitus. This is because blood pressure impacts blood flow to the fragile parts of the inner ear that send your brain information about sounds you are hearing. Throwing off this balance can cause your ears to hear sounds that aren’t coming from anything in your environment.

Strain or exertion — The pressure you create in your ears when straining to lift something heavy can cause perilymph fistula (PLF), leading to a small tear between the inner and middle ear. When this happens, fluid can leak through, causing a feeling of fullness in the ear, dizziness, sensitivity to sound, and tinnitus.

Dehydration — If you fail to drink enough fluids while working out, this can also cause tinnitus. This is because the inner ear is filled with fluid that is necessary for hearing and balance. Dehydration disrupts that balance, which can trigger tinnitus.

Muscle tension or poor circulation — In the same ways that high exertion can affect your hearing, tense muscles or poor circulation can, too. When blood can’t properly flow to and through the muscles surrounding the ears, tension increases and results in pressure that can create hearing disruptions.

Eustachian tube dysfunction — Exercise can also inflame the Eustachian tubes, which makes it more difficult for air to pass through them. If the air cannot pass through effectively, sound cannot be properly processed, which may create disruptions in hearing.

Loud music or noisy environments — Loud noises can damage tiny hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells vibrate to sound and send a message to the brain. Once these cells are destroyed, they do not grow back. As a result, they do not adequately relay sound information. Music played over gym speakers can be extremely loud, and any exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels (dB) can cause hearing loss. For comparison, the volume of a typical conversation is about 60 dB, and heavy city traffic is around 85 dB.

Any volume above 90 dB is considered loud. Typically, this is where the volume of a workout class usually falls. So it’s unsurprising that 30 out of 100 aerobics instructors say that they experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears) 50% of the time.

How to manage and prevent workout-related tinnitus

One immediate step for reducing workout-induced tinnitus is stepping out of a loud environment or removing the devices playing your own music. Within a short period of time, any noise-induced tinnitus should decrease or go away completely.

If the tinnitus is due to exertion, strain or pressure, take a break from your workout to focus on restoring relaxed, controlled breathing. Rest for a bit, and drink water to make sure you are also adequately hydrated. As the tinnitus could be due to muscle tension, take a few minutes to do some neck and shoulder stretches to reduce tension and pressure around the ears.

Long-term prevention of tinnitus

Weight rooms can be particularly noisy, especially if the floors aren’t padded or others are dropping or using weights loudly. In some cases, dropping weights can produce sounds as loud as a shotgun, which can cause immediate damage to the hair cells of the inner ear.

If you are prone to exercise-induced tinnitus, one simple solution is to wear earplugs or hearing protection while working out. Some headphones have white noise or noise-cancellation options that could help. If you wear a hearing aid device, you may have additional built-in options to help with reducing environmental noise. If you listen to music, try to listen at 60% of the maximum volume.

To prevent strain or pressure-induced tinnitus, always warm up effectively before a workout. If you lift weights, make sure you breathe through the movement. Do not hold your breath during a challenging movement. If you work out often, make time for rest days between days of intense exercise. It’s also a good idea to switch up the type of exercise you do. For example, if you run one day, do light lifting the next day, or try a fitness class.

Keep a routine of safe exercising

Even though exercise can impact hearing in a negative way if done improperly or if risks aren’t addressed, exercise has overall been shown to improve hearing when done correctly. In fact, scientists have found in lab studies that mice with added physical exercise showed less symptoms of hearing decline or issues in their lifespan. The studies revealed that exercise was linked to improved immune response, lower inflammation and better heart function.

When to seek help from an audiologist

If the ringing in your ears does not stop after trying the methods suggested, it may be a good idea to meet with your audiologist to see if noise-canceling hearing aids or other measures could be a good fit for your problem. Often, this type of hearing issue can be resolved with proper treatment.

Health providers might suggest the methods for safe and effective workouts, while being conscious of noise level. Or, if your issue is one that persists, they may recommend a hearing device that could help remedy your symptoms.